Tina M. Dillman

New winter initiative at Project Grant-open to local and regional professionals and students. Please help spread the word and apply!!! Thank you!

As you begin to consider what gifts you are purchasing this year, I would like to ask you to support small businesses and non-profits. There are a lot of holiday events where one could buy a fabulous hand made item that is original and unique. Plus your contribution could be putting food on the table for that family. And if you’re in the giving spirit you can always make a donation to your preferred non-profit or artist run project.

With the year wrapping up here soon, and I look towards the upcoming programming and travel in 2016 that Project Grant has on the docket there is something that would be extremely helpful-
Frequent Flyer Miles: If you can part with them, Project Grant could use them. I’m traveling to the Bay Area in February, to give a talk at SFAI and then in April for the Open Engagement Conference. I would also like to cover the travel expenses of the artists coming this next summer for the residency. (This past season the artists paid their own way.) Interested parties should email me.

48 Hours, is a new initiative of Project Grant that aims to bring together a diverse group of creative thinkers and makers over the course of a weekend to engage in discourse and a “final” collaborative project that will take place in a public space. Project Grant is seeking creative professionals from all backgrounds including but not limited to: architecture, dance, design, literature, performance, sound, theater, visual arts, and urban planning. Participants should have an interest in social justice issues relating to accessibility, economic inequalities, and/or sustainability.

This residency is free and open to all, but room is limited to 8 participants per weekend. Current students are eligible to apply. Participants are responsible for their own expenses, such as food, drink and travel. The residency does have a limited amount of room to host participants, so priority will be given to those living locally or with their own accommodations. Participants may be able to attend more than one weekend session.

48 Hours will take place: January 15-18, February 19-22 & March 18-21, 2016. On Friday, there will be a meet & greet, and the main sessions will run Saturday-Sunday. The “final” collaborative project will be unveiled on Monday. The content of the sessions will be designed around the interests of the participants and will include field trips, meals and dialogue.

It is the goal of 48 Hours to gather a group of diverse professionals and provide a place where current issues around development and displacement can be discussed and actions can be implemented into daily lives.

For more information or to view the application, please click here.

To read a recent article about this project click here.

I will be giving a talk about my current jobs/projects here in Buffalo, along with past projects and the unforeseen future. This event is free and open to the public. For more information click here.

Project Grant’s September Artist in Residence, Kyla Kegler is looking for participants to engage in a the course of workshops over a two week period with a final public performance. The workshops and performance will take place at the Richmond Ferry Church (467 Richmond), thanks to the Rosanna Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts & Richmond Ferry Church. For more information about participating, please click here.

I’m in the news!!! A recent article written by Jack Foran and published in The Public, about my recent activities with Project Grant. Thank you for the support!!!

And with tears of joy running down my face, I would like to announce that over the last week I have received very gracious support for Project Grant from riverrun, Friends of The Buffalo Story and Bruce Adams. After months of hard work, late nights and de-stressing talks with my mother, Project Grant has received monetary backing that will greatly assist covering the expenses of the residency for the summer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

With the call for a raise in minimum wage across the country, and the fight for $15 among fast food workers, I am on my own crusade for artists like myself who are struggling to make enough money to pay rent, and other expenses, while still being employed (only part time-due to budget constraints) in my desired field. It is times like this that we have to continue being creative, even though the levels of stress are so high at times that they paralyze us. So, in an effort to keep my car from being repossessed, I am offering the following services to be contracted out, starting at $15/hr. All lives matter, and we all need to start valuing this, and share the love.

Locally, I can hang out with kids and teach them cool things, clean your house, cook a decent meal, make a mean drink, organize your household or anything else that requires the least amount of energy or thinking, while still doing something that I actually enjoy. I am also highly competent in others areas that would allow me to work remotely. To see a full comprehensive list of my skills, please click the link, but keep in mind these skills may cost more. Any interested parties should contact me at: projectgrantbuffalo@gmail.com. Thank you for your consideration and feel free to forward this call to others who may be interested in contracting out my services. Godspeed.

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In the month of June 2015, Project Grant is hosting, Free Painting Workshops on the West Side in the Massachusetts Avenue Park. Each week June 6-20, a different artist from around NY State is leading a workshop based on their artistic interests and influenced by the park setting. Hyatt’s and Golden Paints have generously donated the supplies for these workshops.

On June 6, Hope Mora led the workshop, How to Tackle a Still Life. Nine park goers, ages 12 & under engaged with the workshop to create several works on paper and cardboard.
On June 13, Christine Heller will lead an interactive mural painting workshop that is influenced by the surrounding movements and actions. The mural will be created on a moveable surface, so that it can travel around to various locations throughout Buffalo.
On June 20, Jenna North will lead participants, in a sensory experience of abstract painting, using mixed media. North will create a, water inspired setting that will encourage responses to memory, musings, and the aquatic environment.

All works created will be in an exhibition at the Buffalo Arts Studio, opening Friday June 26, 5-8pm. This exhibition will be on display through July 10.